The present invention relates to a connector structure, a female connector, and a male connector for internal mounting for implementing the connection between, for example, a substrate and a peripheral device that is directly disposed on this substrate.
Recently, in the field of personal computers (below, abbreviated PC), miniaturization is rapidly progressing, and PCs have appeared that use a structure in which peripheral devices are mounted on the substrate called the motherboard provided internally. For example, in a note-type PC that emphasizes portability, the hard disc drive that serves as the main memory device is mounted on the substrate.
In mounting the hard disc drive on the substrate, as shown in FIG. 7, first the hard disc drive d is placed on the substrate b such that the female connector 1 on the substrate b is opposite to the male connector 2 of the hard disc drive d, and then the hard disc drive d is slid on the substrate b, and the male contacts 3 of the male connector 2 are connected by insertion into the female contacts 4 of the female connector 1. This type of method of engagement originates in the shape of the male and female connectors since the female connector 1 can receive the insertion of the male connector 2 only in a direction parallel to the substrate b.
In the case of the connecting the female and male connectors described above, because the hard disc drive is moved by sliding over the substrate, a space for moving on the substrate must be maintained so that the movement is not hindered. This space must naturally be larger than the size of the hard disc drive, and thus as a result an open space corresponding to the length of the movement remains on the substrate after the mounting of the hard disc drive. After mounting this hard disc drive, this open space has no significance, and this is a large problem when implementing miniaturization of the personal.
In consideration of the above-described problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector structure, female connector, and male connector, that allows miniaturization of the PC by allowing mounting of the hard disc drive on the substrate without producing an unused open space on the substrate
Specifically, a connector structure according to the claim 1 comprises a female connector having female contacts and a male connector having male contacts that engage said female contacts, wherein:
grooves are formed substantially perpendicular to the bottom of said female connector on the side surface of said female connector and said female contacts are provided inside said grooves; and said male connector is brought into proximity to said female connector from said substantially perpendicular direction, and by this process a state of contact between both contacts is attained by inserting said male contacts into said grooves and engaging said female contacts.
In the connector structure according to claim 1, a connector structure according to claim 2 is characterized in that said female connector is fixed either to the installation surface or the object to be installed on said installation surface, and said male connector is fixed on the other.
In the connector structure according to claim 2, a connector structure according to claim 3 is characterized in that said installation surface is one of the surfaces of the substrate, and said object is a device mounted on said substrate.
In a connector structure according to claim 2 or claim 3, a connector structure according to claim 4 is characterized in that: said female connector is fixed by bringing said bottom into contact with said installation surface; said male connector is fixed by said male contacts protruding sideways from said object; said female contact is provided in groups of two by separating them in a said substantially perpendicular direction in said groove;
one of said female contacts is disposed so as to be in closer proximity to said bottom than the other female contact and in proximity to said side surface; said male contact is provided in groups of two corresponding to said female contacts; and the other male contact corresponding to said other female contact is shorter than the other male contact corresponding to said other female contact, and is disposed by being place in proximity to the bottom of said object.
In a connector structure according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, a connector structure according to claim 5 is characterized in that said female contact comprises a pair of elastically deformable catches, and said male contacts are sandwiched between said catches.
In a connector structure according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, a connector structure according to claim 6 is characterized in that said female contact comprises an elastically deformable catch and a wall separated from and opposed to said catch, and said male contact is sandwiched between said catch and said wall.
In a connector structure according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, a connector structure according to claim 7 is characterized in that said grooves are provided in plurality on said female connector, and said male connectors correspond to the plurality of said grooves, and a plurality of male contacts are provided.
In a connector structure according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, a connector structure according to claim 8 is characterized in that: either a projection or recess that can be partnered is provided in said female connector;
either of the other of said projection or recess is provided on said male connector so as to fit a partner when connected to said female connector; and said projection and recess are provided shifted away from the center in the widthwise direction on both said female connector and said male connector.
In a connector structure according to claim 9, a female connector is characterized in that grooves are formed substantially perpendicular to the side surface and bottom thereof, and said female contacts are provided in said grooves.
In a female connector according to claim 9, a connector structure according to claim 1 is characterized in that said female connectors are provided in groups of two separated in said grooves in said substantially perpendicular direction inside said grooves, and one of the female contacts is disposed more in proximity to said bottom than the other female contact, and in proximity to said side surface.
A male connector according to claim 10 is characterized in that the male contacts are provided in groups of two, and one male contact is formed so as to be shorter than the other male contact.